The prolific Mendoza has earned a flurry of kudos, including Cannes 2009 director nod for “Kinatay.”

Ye’s films have been critically lauded overseas and banned by Chinese censors.

Lu’s “City of Life and Death,” a damning chronicle of the 1937 Japanese massacre of Nanjing, won the San Sebstian’s top Gold Shell in September. The competition will showcase five first films, including Taiwanese romantic comedy “Au revoir Taipei,” by Arvin Chen, and Tajikistan’s war drama “True Noon,” as well as Liu Jie’s Venice Horizons player “Judge.”

Also in competition are films including South Korean Lee Hey-jun’s admired tragicomedy “Castaway on the Moon,” Rotterdam Fest opener “Paju,” from South Korea’s Park Chan-ok, and wacky comedy “Symbol,” the second feature from Japanese TV cult comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto.